Shelf and support arrangement

ABSTRACT

A shelf for use in an appliance such as a refrigerator is supported by ledges being one-piece with and extending inwardly from the plastic cabinet liner, in a manner that permits convenient placement of the shelf into position and allows the shelf to be slid forward. One side of the shelf is contoured to clear a shorter upper ledge and rest on an extended lower ledge when the shelf is in the rearmost position. As the shelf is moved forward the sides of the shelf are received in grooves formed between the upper and lower ledges and forward motion of the shelf is stopped by interference of the raised rear sections of the sides with the upper ledges.

[ Dec. 31, 1974 ABSTRACT Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Calvert Attorney, Agent, or FirmE. C. Arenz A shelf for use in an appliance such as a refrigerator is supported by ledges being one-piece with and extending inwardly from the plastic cabinet liner, in a manner that permits convenient placement of the shelf into position and allows the shelf to be slid forward. One side of the shelf is contoured to clear a shorter upper ledge and rest on an extended lower ledge when the shelf is in the rearmost position. As the shelf is moved forward the sides of the shelf are received in grooves formed between the upper and lower ledges and forward motion of the shelf is stopped by interference of the raised rear sections of the sides with the upper ledges.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Inventor: Carl A. Peterson, Columbus, Ohio [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

Pittsburgh, Pa.

May 18, 1973 Appl. No.: 361,735

Field of Search......... 312/348, 351, 350; 16/90 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1937 8/1939 Rees...................... 1/1943 Opgenorth. 7/1963 Schless............................

United States Patent [191 Peterson SHELF AND SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT [7 1 [22] Filed:

PATEHTEB UEC3 1 I974 SHEET 1 OF 2 FIG. I

SHELF AND SUPPORT ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to the art of shelves and shelf supports as may be used for example, in appliances such as refrigerators or freezers, in which sliding of the shelf forward to facilitate access to articles thereon is desirable.

2. Description of the Prior Art The patents of which applicant is aware that show shelf and shelf support arrangements which are similar in one aspect or another to the arrangement according to the invention are: US. Pat. Nos. 2,092,963; 2,307,233; 2,l68,l72; and 2,797,608.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, the arrangement includes a shelf support comprised of an extended, continuous, horizontal lower ledge and a shorter upper ledge located above and parallel .to a forward portion of the lower ledge, with a groove formed between the two ledges and, a rectangular shelf having at least one side contoured near the front to just clear the upper ledge of the shelf support to permit the shelf to be put in and taken out. When the shelf is moved forwardly, the edges is slidably received in the groove between the two ledges preventing the shelf from tipping. The back ends of the sides of the shelf are bent upwardly so that they interfere with the rear ends of the upper ledges in the forward most position stopping forward movement of the shelf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken horizontal crosssectional view corresponding to one taken along lines ll-II of FIG. I, with the shelf fully retracted;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to one taken along lines III-I II of FIG. 2 with the shelf fully extended.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT out of the food compartment for access to items at the rear of the shelf.

FIG. 2 shows the shelf 12, fully retracted into the food compartment 8. The shelf is of the wire rack type with a continuous metal rod forming one contoured side 18, an opposite straight side- 19, and the rear 20. The back end 21 (FIG. 3) of each side is bent up out of the plane of the shelf raising the rear correspondingly. The front edge 22 of the shelf is a rolled steel trim welded to both ends of the rod. The contoured side 18 includesan inwardly offset length 24 which is of slightly greater length than the length of upper ledge 16, and of sufficient depth to clear the ledge 16 when the opposite straight side 19 is moved into position between the ledges at the opposite wall of the liner. Thecontoured side 18 is shaped in this manner so that theshelf can be inserted into position in the refrigerator by placing the opposite straight side 19 in the groove formed between the opposite upper and lower ledge while the contoured side 18 is elevated, and then lowering the contoured side at the position where the offset and upper ledge are in registry. In this rearward position-of the shelf, upward bumping of the shelf from below does not ordinarily result in dislodging the shelf because the straight side 19 isreceived in and held by the groove between the upper and lower ledge. When the shelf 12 is moved forward, both sides 18 and 19 are restrained from upward movement by the upper ledges 16.

FIG. 3 shows the shelf 12 in its most forward position. The shelf is held in this position by the combined effect of the support of the lower ledge 14, the restraining of upward movement by the upper ledge 16, and the back ends 21 of the sides abutting the back end 28 of the upper ledge 16. In this position the shelf will not tip forward even when items are placed at the very front of the shelf.

The lower ledge 14 is shown in FIG. 3 having its forward most point 30'somewhat to the rear of the front edge 32 of the liner 6. In the preferred embodiment the liner is plastic and it is our belief that a surface discontinuity, such as the ledge, if located too near the edge of the liner causes stress concentrations which eventually will lead to failure of the liner. However if the invention were applied for example in a range or a kitchen cabinet materials of construction other than plastic could be used, and the forward points of both the upper and lower ledge could be moved closer to the front of the liner which correspondingly could allow additional forward extension of the shelf.

An additional advantage provided by the invention in the preferred embodiment is that the smaller shelves designated as 34in FIG. 1 on opposite sides of the aux iliary compartment 10 can be used on either side of the compartment with equal convenience. That is, both right side and left side shelves are the same.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shelf and shelf support arrangement for a cabinet having opposite vertical walls from which said shelf is adapted to be supported in slidable relation comprismg:

shelf support means including a pair of horizontally I extending, inwardly projecting ledges on opposite walls, said ledges extending uninterruptedly from adjacent the rear of said cabinet to a location closer to the front of said cabinet than the rear; relatively shorter, horizontally extending, inwardly projecting upper ledge spaced above each of the longer ledges and extending for a distance overlying no more than the forward half of the lower ledge; rectangular shelf having one side with a portion of its length offset inwardly in a shape complementary to said upper ledge to clear said upper ledge when said shelf is in its rearmost position so that said shelf is supported by said lower ledge and said one side is slidably received in the space between said upper and lower ledge when said shelf is moved forwardly; means located at the rear of said shelf to abut against the rear ends of said upper ledges to stop forward said shelf comprise a continuous metal rod.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein: the rear ends of said one and said opposite sides of said shelf are bent up out of the plane of said shelf to a height sufficient to cause said rear ends to abut said upper ledges when said shelf is moved fully forward. 

1. A shelf and shelf support arrangement for a cabinet having opposite vertical walls from which said shelf is adapted to be supported in slidable relation comprising: shelf support means including a pair of horizontally extending, inwardly projecting ledges on opposite walls, said ledges extending uninterruptedly from adjacent the rear of said cabinet to a location closer to the front of said cabinet than the rear; a relatively shorter, horizontally extending, inwardly projecting upper ledge spaced above each of the longer ledges and extending for a distance overlying no more than the forward half of the lower ledge; a rectangular shelf having one side with a portion of its length offset inwardly in a shape complementary to said upper ledge to clear said upper ledge when said shelf is in its rearmost position so that said shelf is supported by said lower ledge and said one side is slidably received in the space between said upper and lower ledge when said shelf is moved forwardly; means located at the rear of said shelf to abut against the rear ends of said upper ledges to stop forward movement of said shelf, and the side of said shelf opposite said one side being straight and devoir of an offset.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein: said opposite walls are formed of plastic with said ledges being one-piece with said walls.
 3. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein: said one and said opposite sides of said shelf and the back side of said shelf comprise a continuous metal rod.
 4. The arrangement Of claim 3 wherein: the rear ends of said one and said opposite sides of said shelf are bent up out of the plane of said shelf to a height sufficient to cause said rear ends to abut said upper ledges when said shelf is moved fully forward. 